Janice Watkins Award 2021

Position: Library Clerk

Department: University Library

For 22-1/2 years, Yolanda has been part of the Daley Library’s Access
Services Department (formerly known as the Circulation Department), the unit that
operates in the Library every single minute the building is open. And her warm and
cheerful welcome has been a high point of the day for many students and faculty.

Yolanda’s warmth and generosity extend to activities sponsored by her church, the City of Praise Church of Chicago. Yolanda volunteers for events like The Sound of Spaulding that provides entertainment as well as free food, clothing and home goods and the Tent Crusade that focuses on spiritual healing specifically for the homeless and those struggling with addiction. She is passionate about participating in evangelism training, a four-day course to teach how to minister to people where they are—not to beat them over the head with religion, but to help them find a path to discovering themselves, establishing themselves and leading productive lives. Every other Saturday, Yolanda goes to a section of the city and prepares meals to feed people in need.

• Award Remarks

Position: Regional Assistant Director

Department: MATEC, Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center

Ms. Haro is very effective in communications and representing the Center and the University in her work with MATEC partners. She brings strong effective listening and service abilities, and maintains strong relationships with a wide variety of staff and institutions. She is an extremely positive person, and her genuine interest in people complements her specific assignments leading to harmonious team functioning. In this regard she goes beyond expectations, whether working with staff, partners or community groups.

Teresa has held several positions at MATEC.  In all of them, she has shown her commitment and her professionalism.  Through all her various roles, Teresa has brought her positive attitude and her organizational skills. This has made the organization’s exponential growth possible. As she has done what is necessary to fulfill her commitments at work, she has also given time and energy as a volunteer in several positions in her children’s school. All this has required many more hours than a “full time” position is generally expected to take. As with all things, she has done this work and given this time with a helpful, friendly attitude.

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Position: Senior Grants Administrator

Department: College of Applied Health Sciences Administration

Faith has been a UIC employee since 1994 and has held positions in research administration in the Departments of Psychology, Pathology, Psychiatry, and Cardiology before joining the College of Applied Health Sciences where she is currently a Senior Grants Administrator in the AHS Office of Research. She is the consummate professional who is not satisfied with anything less than excellence, works unceasingly to serve our faculty, and makes an enormously positive contribution to the culture at UIC.

Faith is knowledgeable about every aspect of her job. In addition to her formal training as a CPA and CRA (Certified Research Administrator), she has a long-term commitment to maintaining and improving her expertise. Since 2006, she has participated in more than 40 business-related workshops organized by the Office of Business and Financial Services. She is active in the major US professional organization for research administrators, National Council of Research Administrators (NCURA). She has been a member since 2001 and was
certified as a Certified Research Administrator (CRA) in 2009. In recent years, she has taken a leadership role in the organization by Co-chairing the Traveling Faculty Lectures Committee and serving on other committees.

• Award Remarks